Chris March: 'Mad Fashion' Shows All the Good ... and All the Bad

He was one of the most beloved Project Runway contestants ever, so needless to say we’re excited to catch Chris March’s return to television tonight on his new show, Mad Fashion. The series follows the eccentric designer (he famously trimmed dresses with human hair), watching him do what he does best: create gorgeously over-the-top clothes.

“They just film me doing what I already do for a living,” he tells PEOPLE. “It’s almost documentary-style of my work life. And it just happens to be kind of fun and outrageous to watch.”

The cameras capture March creating a Mardi Gras dress for Jennifer Coolidge, concocting Chrissy Teigen’s Met Gala gown and making clothes for other celebs on his star-studded client roster. Each episode starts with the assignment, shows the design process and ends with the final reveal.

March won’t be alone in his endeavors — he’s joined by several friends, plus a new staffer and an assistant. “The main other person on the show is my best friend Matt [James] … we’ve known each other for 25 years now,” March says. “We finish each other’s sentences — we have like, the same brain.” A few designers who worked with March on Hairspray will pop up on the series, too.

Don’t expect any Real Housewives-esque drama, though — the reality star says his team actually gets along. “We kind of have to, because everyone makes a different facet of the outfit,” he explains. “We have to come together to make a finished product.” That’s not to say there won’t be any smack downs, however; March hints that “there’s definitely some tension with some of the clients.”

Since his stint on Runway, March says he’s learned to communicate with his customers more about their wants and needs. “I don’t want to make people cry, unless it’s with happiness,” he jokes. Especially when those clients include Meryl Streep, Beyoncé and most recently, Lady Gaga. “Project Runway made my name more high-profile,” he shares humbly. “I’ve gotten to work with a lot of different celebrity clients that I never would have otherwise.”